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Step 1
Make sure your guitar is in good shape. If it looks warped, has cracks in it, or any other serious damage, take it to a professional luthier for repairs.
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Step 2
Determine what kind of wood your neck is made from. Most guitars have fretboards made out of rosewood, maple, or ebony. Maple fret boards are likely to be varnished, which means they do not need oil. Rosewood and ebony fretboards tend to be unvarnished, and require a bit of oil to clean. If you are unsure whether your fretboard is varnished, take it into your local guitar store and ask.
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Step 3
Wipe the entire fretboard and neck with a soft cloth. Take your time and do a thorough job, getting it as clean as possible.
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Step 4
Look closely at the frets. Often, dirt and grime gets packed in around them, making them hard to clean with a cloth alone. See if there is any dirt stuck in there that you've missed.
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Step 5
Use a plastic scrubbing pad or 00- grade steel wool to clean around the frets. Be careful, as it is possible to scratch your guitar fret board.
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Step 6
If your guitar has a varnished fretboard, skip steps 7 and 8.
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Step 7
Apply a small amount of high-quality furniture oil on a clean cloth and wipe it around the frets to remove any remaining bits of dirt.
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Step 8
Wipe the rest of the fretboard with the cloth. Use small circular motions to spread the oil evenly over the entire fret board.









